The crisp air of November means one thing: The holiday season is officially right around the corner. Before the flurry of Black Friday deals and gift-buying begins, it's the perfect time to give your budget a quick but vital check-up. And for most of us, the biggest budget creep comes from one place: streaming services.
Americans are spending an average of over $60 a month on streaming, and with recent price hikes on several major platforms, that bill is only getting bigger. To free up some cash for the holidays, my advice is to embrace the art of the "stream-and-cancel."
Why I'd cancel Peacock in October 2025
Peacock’s November slate looks fine on paper, but a closer look reveals that many of the biggest titles are dropping late in the month, so you can easily binge them down the road. In fact, Peacock's biggest original isn't dropping until nearly the end of the month.
The fourth and final season of "Bel-Air" doesn't premiere until Nov. 24. This last chapter brings Will’s journey from West Philly to Bel-Air full circle in a moving finale about family, identity and second chances.
The other notable original series coming to Peacock this month is "All Her Fault," a gripping limited series based on Andrea Mara's novel and starring Sarah Snook as a mother whose son is kidnapped after a playdate. The cast also includes Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy, Abby Elliott and Michael Peña. It's debuting Nov. 6, and as much as I enjoy a mystery thriller, I can practice some patience and binge the whole thing next month.
In the same vein, the rest of Peacock's offerings, including the comedy series "Tiffany Haddish Goes Off" (Nov. 13), live coverage of Bravocon (Nov. 15) and all four seasons of "The Good Place" (Nov. 17), can wait.
Why I'd cancel HBO Max in November 2025
While HBO Max is generally a keeper thanks to its deep back catalog and prestige originals, November 2025 actually presents a perfect opportunity for a strategic (and brief) cancellation. Sure, "It: Welcome to Derry" is still rolling out episodes, but it's doing so until mid-December, so you can just cancel HBO Max now and re-subscribe for a good binge session right before the finale.
There’s "I Love LA," Rachel Sennott’s new comedy about messy ambition and friendship, and "The Seduction," a new take on "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Both sound fun, but they’re weekly drops, easy enough to binge later once the seasons wrap.
The documentaries "Alex vs A-Rod" and "One to One: John & Yoko" add some variety, but neither is the kind you need to watch immediately. They’ll still be there when you come back for the "Welcome to Derry" finale and HBO’s bigger holiday releases.
How much you'll save by canceling HBO Max and Peacock
If you cut both HBO Max and Peacock for November 2025, you’re looking at a tidy bit of savings. After a recent price increase, HBO Max’s ad-free plan runs at $18.49 a month, while Peacock Premium Plus is $16.99. Together, that’s over $35 back in your pocket. Even if you’re on their cheaper ad-supported tiers, you’re still saving around nearly $19.
That might not sound like much, but in November, every dollar counts. That’s a gift for your Secret Santa, a couple of stocking stuffers or a small dent in your Black Friday cart. That ain't nothing! Both services will have binge-ready lineups soon, so you can cancel guilt-free, finish your holiday shopping and come back in time to unwrap a fresh batch of shows.
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